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Workers who proactively engage in retirement planning enjoy higher levels of retirement confidence than those who don’t, new research shows.

Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, Baltimore, Md., discloses this finding in its “14 Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey.” The online survey polled 3,651 workers ages 18 and older, including full-time or part-time workers in a for-profit company employing 10 or more people.

The report compares the sentiments of workers who are proactive about retirement planning, dubbed “power planners” in the survey against those of all workers. Respondents include:

●“future early retirees” or those who plan to retire sooner than age 65;

● “10 percenters” or the 22 percent of workers who save 10 percent or more of their annual salary through company-sponsored plans;

● “strategies” or individuals who have a written plan;

● “knowledgeables,” who believe they know what they should about retirement and investing; and

● “conversationalists” or workers who frequently discuss saving, investing and planning for retirement with friends and family.

More than 7 in 10 (73 percent) of power planners who are future early retirees say they are somewhat or very confident in their retirement outlook. Retirement confidence is similarly high among strategies (81 percent), 10 percenters (72 percent), knowledgeables (73 percent) and conversationalists (74 percent).

Among all workers, a slim majority (55 percent) say they are somewhat or very confident in their retirement outlook.

The survey adds that most power planners expect to retire at age 65 or sooner. The majority of strategists (54 percent), 10 percenters (54 percent) and conversationalists (53 percent) expect to retire at age 65 or sooner. In contrast, only 42 percent of all workers plan to retire by age 65, with the majority (58 percent) planning to retire at age 65 or not planning to retire, the survey states.

The report adds that the majority of all workers (57 percent) expect to self-fund future retirement income through a 401(k), 403(b), IRA or other savings and investments. Of the power planners, the 10 percenters (70 percent) are most likely to self-fund their retirement.